Vehicle boundary layer air flow control structure

ABSTRACT

A vehicle boundary layer air flow control structure is provided with a vehicle body and a side view mirror. The vehicle body includes an exterior contoured surface with an air flow deflector. The side view mirror is attached to the vehicle body to provide a diagonally rearward direction to be viewed from a driver&#39;s seat. The air flow deflector has an inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface provided in a vehicle body region of the exterior contoured surface of the vehicle body along which an air flow heading toward the side view mirror passes. The inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface extends in an air flow direction of the air flow with respect to the side view mirror to divert the air flow inward of the side view mirror with respect to a vehicle widthwise direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National stage of International ApplicationNo. PCT/IB2010/001727, filed Jul. 13, 2010, which claims priority toJapanese Patent Application Nos. 2009-172330, filed on Jul. 23, 2009 and2010-088849, filed on Apr. 7, 2010. The entire disclosures of JapanesePatent Application Nos. 2009-172330 and 2010-088849 are herebyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a vehicle boundary layer airflow control structure. More specifically, the present invention relatesa vehicle boundary layer air flow control structure that favorablycontrol an air flow oriented toward an exterior door mirror or otherside view mirror that is mounted to a vehicle body.

2. Background Information

An exterior door mirror or other side view mirror is mounted to avehicle body of a vehicle to enable a driver of the vehicle to see in adiagonally rearward direction from a driver's seat. However, althoughinevitable in view of its purpose, a side view mirror protrudes sidewaysfrom the vehicle body. Thus, the traveling wind produced by the movingvehicle directly collides with the side view mirror. In addition, airflowing along an exterior surface of the vehicle body also collidesagainst the side view mirror. The traveling wind directly collidingagainst the side view mirror is substantially laminar flow if thetraveling wind has not been affected by an obstacle and does not cause alarge amount of wind noise when it collides against the side viewmirror. However, air flowing along an exterior surface of the vehiclebody can be turbulent due to the shape of the exterior surface of thevehicle body. In this case, the turbulent air flow produced from thetraveling wind flowing along the vehicle body will cause a large windnoise to emanate from the side view mirror when the turbulent air flowcollides against the side view mirror.

A conventional countermeasure proposal has been presented in JapaneseLaid-Open Patent Publication No. H06-312673 for solving this problem.This proposed technology involves either providing a wind deflectorextending in the vehicle widthwise direction on an upper surface (in thecase of a passenger car) of the vehicle in a position frontward of theside view mirror such that the wind deflector crosses an air flowdirection, or providing a wind deflector extending in a verticaldirection of the vehicle on an frontward surface (in the case of acommercial vehicle) of the vehicle such that the wind deflector crossesan air flow direction. With the technology described in JapaneseLaid-Open Patent Publication No. H06-312673, when the vehicle istraveling, the wind deflector, as described above, serves to divert(bend) traveling wind that collides against the wind deflector byapproximately 90 degrees in a widthwise outward direction of the vehiclewhen viewed from above. As a result, a transverse air flow is createdthat crosses directly in front of the side view mirror in a widthwise(inside-to-outside) direction of the vehicle. In the technology proposedin Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H06-312673, the transverseair flow crossing in front of the side view mirror serves to push airflowing toward the side view mirror in a widthwise outward direction ofthe vehicle such that the air flowing toward the side view mirror doesnot collide against the side view mirror.

Other conventional technologies for resolving the wind noise problemdescribed above include the countermeasures described in JapaneseUtility Model Application Publication Nos. S60-163174 and S61-094484.The technology proposed in Japanese Utility Model ApplicationPublication No. S60-163174 provides an upward protuberance and asideways projection on a vehicle body cowl panel to divert vehicle bodytraveling wind upward and outward at a position directly in front of aside view mirror. In this way, the problem of vehicle body travelingwind colliding directly against the side view mirror can be alleviated.The technology proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.S61-094484 provides a deflector on a vehicle body surface directly infront of a side view mirror to divert vehicle body traveling wind upwardat a position directly in front of the side view mirror. In this way,the problem of vehicle body traveling wind colliding directly againstthe side view mirror can be alleviated.

SUMMARY

It has been discovered that certain problems can occur in using thetechnology of the proposed wind deflector that is disclosed in JapaneseLaid-Open Patent Publication No. H06-312673. Problems expected to occurwith this technology will now be explained. The wind deflector isconfigured to create a transverse air flow crossing in front of the sideview mirror by bending or deflecting the traveling wind that collidesagainst wind deflector approximately 90 degrees such that the air flowis diverted in a widthwise outward direction as viewed from above thevehicle. Since the traveling wind must collide against the winddeflector and be turned by an angle as large as 90 degrees, a largedynamic pressure develops, which unavoidably results in an increase ofthe traveling resistance of the vehicle. In other words, the problemwith the technology proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent PublicationNo. H06-312673 is that the wind noise of the side view mirror cannot bereduced without incurring an increase of the traveling resistance of thevehicle.

The side view mirror air flow control technologies proposed in PatentJapanese Utility Model Application Publication Nos. S60-163174 andS61-094484 attempt to prevent vehicle body traveling wind from collidingagainst a side view mirror by diverting the vehicle body traveling windover and laterally outside of the side view mirror from a positiondirectly in front of the side view mirror. Consequently, the air flowflowing cannot be maintained so as to flow along a side surface of thevehicle body because the air is diverted over and laterally outside ofthe side view mirror and passes through a region separated from the sidesurface of the vehicle body. When the air flow is diverted to passthrough a region separated from the side surface of the vehicle body inthis manner, the air flow tends to become turbulent more readily thanwhen the air flow follows the contour of the exterior surface of thevehicle body. In other words, when the vehicle body traveling wind issubjected to an external force acting in a direction oriented crosswiseto the air flow direction, such as force caused by a lateral wind or anairflow flowing along a side surface of the vehicle body to become moreturbulent. Such turbulence tends to cause the traveling resistance ofthe vehicle to increase.

Also, in the technology proposed in Japanese Utility Model ApplicationPublication Nos. S60-163174 and S61-094484, an air flow deflector isprovided on a vehicle body to divert a vehicle body traveling wind overand laterally outside of a side view mirror at a position directly infront of the side view mirror. Since the air flow deflector ispositioned directly in front of the side view mirror, a cross sectionalarea at a rearward end of the air flow (rearward in the air flowdirection) decreases acutely, causing a problem that will now beexplained. In other words, the diverted air flow resulting after the airflow has passed the air flow deflector suddenly loses an air flowguiding surface of the vehicle body and becomes peeled away from the airflow guiding surface of the vehicle body. As a result, after beingdiverted, the air flow swirls and becomes turbulent. This turbulent airflow cannot be sufficiently prevented from colliding against the sideview mirror. Consequently, there is a concern that the side view mirrorair flow control technologies proposed in Japanese Laid-Open PatentPublication No. S60-163174 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.S61-094484 cannot sufficiently solve the previously described problem ofwind noise resulting from an air flow colliding against a side viewmirror.

Additionally, the technologies proposed in Japanese Utility ModelApplication Publication Nos. S60-163174 and S61-094484 incur the problemof the diverted air flow swirling and tending to become turbulent afterit has passed the air flow deflector, thus causing the travelingresistance of the vehicle to increase.

In view of the problems described above, a vehicle boundary layer airflow control structure is proposed that attempts to solve the abovedescribed problems. In this disclosure, a vehicle boundary layer airflow control structure is disclosed that can allow a traveling windheading toward a side view mirror to pass by the side view mirrorwithout significantly colliding against the side view mirror such thatthe undesirable effect of causing a traveling resistance of the vehicleto increase can be diminished, and such that the air flow that haspassed by the side view mirror will flow along a side surface of thevehicle body without tending to become turbulent and causing thetraveling resistance of the vehicle to increase.

In accordance with one aspect of this present disclosure, a vehicleboundary layer air flow control structure is provided that basicallycomprises a vehicle body and a side view mirror. The vehicle bodyincludes an exterior contoured surface with an air flow deflector. Theside view mirror is attached to the vehicle body to provide a diagonallyrearward direction to be viewed from a driver's seat. The air flowdeflector has an inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface providedin a vehicle body region of the exterior contoured surface of thevehicle body along which an air flow heading toward the side view mirrorpasses. The inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface extends in anair flow direction of the air flow with respect to the side view mirrorto divert the air flow inward of the side view mirror with respect to avehicle widthwise direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of thisoriginal disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a left frontward portion of avehicle body of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle boundary layer airflow control structure for controlling boundary layer air flow withrespect to a side view mirror in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the left frontward portion ofthe vehicle body of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above aleftward frontward portion of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevational view of the left frontward portionof the vehicle body of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from infront of the vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the left frontward portionof the vehicle body of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a simplified vertical cross sectional view of a left headlamplens as viewed along section line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6A a partial perspective view of the left headlamp lens of thevehicle body of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6B is an enlarged perspective view of the left headlamp lens shownin FIG. 6A and depicting an air flow controlled by a widthwise insidesurface of the left headlamp lens;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the left headlamp lens of the vehiclebody of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from in front of thevehicle and depicting an air flow controlled by the widthwise surface ofthe left headlamp lens;

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the left headlamp lens of the vehiclebody of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as seen from a position located infront of and to the left of the vehicle,

FIG. 8B is an enlarged perspective view of the left headlamp lens shownin FIG. 8A and depicting an air flow controlled by a widthwise insidesurface of the left headlamp lens;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the left headlamp lens of the vehiclebody of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from in front of thevehicle and depicting an air flow controlled by the widthwise surface ofthe left headlamp lens;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the left headlamp lens for explaining amaximum width of the left headlamp lens shown in FIGS. 6 to 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 to 10showing an air flow obtained in a wind tunnel experiment with thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure controlling boundarylayer air flow with respect to the side view mirror in accordance withthe illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 to 11 showingan air flow obtained in a wind tunnel experiment with the vehicleboundary layer air flow control structure controlling boundary layer airflow the side view mirror in accordance with the illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a left rear perspective view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1to 12 showing an air flow obtained in a wind tunnel experiment with thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure controlling boundarylayer air flow with respect to the side view mirror in accordance withthe illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a left front perspective view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1to 10 showing an air flow obtained in a wind tunnel experiment with thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure controlling boundarylayer air flow with respect to the side view mirror in accordance withthe illustrated embodiment; and

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 to10 showing an air flow obtained in a wind tunnel experiment with thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure controlling boundarylayer air flow with respect to the side view mirror in accordance withthe illustrated embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Selected embodiments will now be explained with reference to thedrawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from thisdisclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments areprovided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting theinvention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 4, a left frontward portion of avehicle body of a vehicle is illustrated that is equipped with a vehicleboundary layer air flow control structure for controlling boundary layerair flow in accordance with the illustrated embodiment. As shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, the vehicle has a front windshield 1, a vehicle body roofpanel 2, a hood 3 covering an upper opening of an engine room or motorroom, a front grill 4, a front bumper 5, a left front fender 6, a leftheadlamp 7, a left front door 8, and a left side view (door) mirror 9.As used herein, the term “vehicle body” includes, but not is limited tothe front windshield 1, the vehicle body roof panel 2, the hood 3, thefront grill 4, the front bumper 5, the left front fender 6, the leftheadlamp 7, the left front door 8, and the left side view mirror 9. Theleft side view mirror 9 is mounted to the left front door 8 to enable adiagonally leftward and rearward direction of the vehicle to be viewedfrom a driver's seat. The left frontward portion of the vehicle body isconfigured as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. When the vehicle is moving, airflows from front to rear along a vehicle body exterior contoured surfacethat forms the external shape of the vehicle body. It is desirable toform the vehicle body exterior contoured surface such that a boundarylayer is formed with laminar air flow along the body. If the vehiclebody exterior contoured surface creates turbulences, then the drag ofthe vehicle will increase. In this illustrated embodiment, a portion ofthe air flowing in the boundary layer from front to rear along thevehicle body passes along a particular vehicle body region of anexterior contoured surface of the vehicle body and then heads toward theside view mirror 9. This vehicle body region is at least partiallyformed by, for example, an exterior surface of a headlamp lens 11 of theheadlamp 7 that forms a portion of the vehicle body exterior contouredsurface. The exterior surface of the headlamp lens 11 is configured tohave a cross sectional shape shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in this illustrated embodiment, the headlamplens 11 constitutes an air flow deflector that includes an air flowdividing ridge 11 a, an inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11b and an outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c. The exteriorsurface of the headlamp lens 11 has a raised middle portion in whichexists a ridgeline (apex edge) that extends in an air flow direction ofthe aforementioned air flow from a frontward end to a rearward end. Thefrontward end of the ridgeline (apex edge) is positioned farther forwardin a longitudinal direction of the vehicle than a rotational center of afront wheel 12 (see, FIGS. 11, 13 and 14) housed inside the front fender6. In this way, the exterior surface of the headlamp lens 11 is providedwith the air flow dividing ridge 11 a that extends in a flow directionof the aforementioned air flow.

The air flow dividing ridge 11 a serves to divide boundary layer airflow flowing toward the side view mirror 9 along the vehicle bodyexterior contoured surface into an inner air stream and an outer airstream. The inner air stream is located on the widthwise inside of theair flow dividing ridge 11 a, while the outer is located on thewidthwise outside of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a. The air flowdividing ridge 11 a is arranged and configured with respect to the restof the vehicle body exterior contoured surface to direct the inner andouter air streams such that the air flows do not mix and becometurbulent. Thus, the positioning of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a inthe vehicle widthwise direction is set to prevent the air flows frommixing and becoming turbulent to the greatest extent possible.Therefore, in this illustrated embodiment, the air flow dividing ridge11 a is arranged, for example, in such a position that the ridgeline ofthe air flow dividing ridge 11 a is located inward of the side viewmirror 9 in the vehicle widthwise direction.

A widthwise-inward surface is located on an inward side of the air flowdividing ridge 11 a with respect to the vehicle widthwise direction.This widthwise-inward surface of the air flow dividing ridge 11 aconstitutes the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b thatserves to divert the aforementioned inner air stream from a courseoriented toward the side view mirror 9 to a course oriented toward apoint located inward of the side view mirror 9 in the vehicle widthwisedirection. In the illustrated embodiment, the inward longitudinal airflow guiding surface 11 b serves to divert the aforementioned inner airstream toward the windshield 1. Therefore, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1,2, 6 and 7, the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b(widthwise-inward surface of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a) isconfigured to form an inwardly curved section that curves (concave)inward in the vehicle widthwise direction as it extends in a downstreamdirection of the inner air stream. Thus, the inward longitudinal airflow guiding surface 11 b ultimately points inward of the side viewmirror 9 in the vehicle widthwise direction. As a result, as indicatedwith the arrow α in FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner air stream is diverted soas to pass inwardly of the side view mirror 9 with respect to thevehicle widthwise direction (i.e., toward the windshield 1) while in alaminar state (i.e., the air flows such that it moves along regular flowpaths).

The inwardly curved section forming the inward longitudinal air flowguiding surface 11 b is configured such that a downstream end portionthereof (i.e., downstream in the flow direction of the air flow) formsan upwardly sloped air flow guiding surface serving to direct the airflow to a level above a space S between the side view mirror 9 and thevehicle body, as indicated with the arrow a in FIG. 7.

A widthwise-outward surface is located on an outward side of the airflow dividing ridge 11 a with respect to the vehicle widthwisedirection. This widthwise-outward surface constitutes the outer downwardair flow guiding surface 11 c serving to divert the aforementioned outerair stream from a course oriented toward the side view mirror 9 to acourse oriented toward a point located under the side view mirror 9. Asshown clearly in FIGS. 8 and 9, the outer downward air flow guidingsurface 11 c is configured such that a rearmost end thereof in an airflow direction blends smoothly with the external shape of a vehicle bodypanel located farther rearward in the air flow direction. Consequently,as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the contour of the vehicle body issuch that when viewed along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, anupper portion of the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c(widthwise-outward surface of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a) near theridgeline of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a slants inward in thevehicle widthwise direction. Meanwhile, when the vehicle is viewed froma side in a widthwise direction, the outer downward air flow guidingsurface 11 c forms a downwardly sloping surface that heads downward in avertical direction of the vehicle as it extends in the flow direction ofthe outer air stream such that it ultimately points underneath the sideview mirror 9. As a result, the downwardly sloping surface of the outerdownward air flow guiding surface 11 c diverts the air flow under theside view mirror 9 as indicated with the arrow β in FIGS. 8 and 9. Thus,the diverted air flow from the outer downward air flow guiding surface11 c passes under the side view mirror 9 in a laminar state such that itdoes not collide against the side view mirror 9.

The outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c (widthwise-outwardsurface of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a) is further configured suchthat a bottommost edge section thereof forms a substantially verticalupright surface 11 d, as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 to 5. The uprightsurface 11 d is a flat surface in the vertical direction. As a result,when the bottommost edge section (upright surface 11 d) of the outerdownward air flow guiding surface 11 c is viewed in a longitudinaldirection of the vehicle, the bottommost edge section (upright surface11 d) does not blend smoothly to the external shape of the fender 6. Thereason for providing the upright surface 11 d will now be explained. Ifthe downwardly sloping surface is made to encompass the bottommost edgesection of the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c(widthwise-outward surface of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a), thenthe outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c (widthwise-outwardsurface of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a) will adjoin smoothly withthe exterior surface contour of the fender 6 when viewed in alongitudinal direction of the vehicle. Consequently, a side surface airflow flowing along a side surface of the vehicle body toward the sideview mirror 9 will intermix with the aforementioned outer air stream andcause turbulence, and the turbulence will collide against the side viewmirror 9 and cause wind noise to occur. Thus, in this illustratedembodiment, the reason for providing a substantially vertical uprightsurface 11 d in the bottommost edge section of the outer downward airflow guiding surface 11 c (widthwise-outward surface of the air flowdividing ridge 11 a) is to use the upright surface 11 d to prevent theaforementioned vehicle body side surface air flow from intermixing withthe outer air stream, becoming turbulent, and colliding with the sideview mirror 9. As used herein, the phrases “blends smoothly” or “blendsmoothly” refers to adjacent mating surfaces of mating parts whosecontours are aligned at their mating edges to form a continuous,non-abrupt transition therebetween if any gap or depression existingbetween the two mating parts were filled in. For example, in the case ofthe surfaces of the headlamp lens 11 mating with the surfaces of thefender 6, the air flow guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c blend smoothlywith the mating surfaces of the fender 6.

The inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b that is providedon the widthwise inward side of the ridgeline of the air flow dividingridge 11 a and the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c that isprovided on the widthwise outward side of the ridgeline are configuredsuch that an imaginary extension plane of the guiding surface 11 b andthe guiding surface 11 c extending in downstream directions of the innerand outer air streams do not intersect each other. In other words, ifone imagines the downstream ends of the surfaces of the guiding surfaces11 b and 11 c continue to extend rearward at the same angle andorientation that they have at their downstream ends, then the imaginaryextension planes will not intersect. In this way, the inner air stream αand the outer air stream β produced by the air flow dividing ridge 11 acan be prevented from intermixing and from becoming turbulent.

As shown in FIG. 10, the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11b has a widthwise-inwardly protruding portion 11 e and the outerdownward air flow guiding surface 11 c has a widthwise-outwardlyprotruding portion 11 f. The headlamp lens 11 with the air flow dividingridge 11 a in this illustrated embodiment is configured such that amaximum width Wmax is located between the protruding portions 11 e and11 f as from above the vehicle. The maximum width Wmax of the headlamplens 11 is equal to or larger than a vertical height of the side viewmirror 9. In this way, the inner air stream a and the outer air stream βformed by the dividing action of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a can bereliably separated from each other and reliably prevented fromintermixing and from becoming turbulent. Additionally, theaforementioned side view mirror boundary layer air flow control can beaccomplished more reliably such that the inner air stream α passes alonga path lying inward of the side view mirror 9 in the vehicle widthwisedirection and such that the outer air stream β passes along a path lyingunder the side view mirror 9 as explained previously.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 10, the headlamp lens 11 with the airflow dividing ridge 11 a in this illustrated embodiment is configuredsuch that a distance Ltail from a position where the maximum width Wmaxbetween the protruding portions 11 e and the 11 f exists (i.e., from aline joining the protruding portions 11 e and 11 f) to a downstreamrearward end 11 g of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a is at least 1.9times as long as the maximum width Wmax (Ltail/Wmax≧1.9). Thus, anangular change amount of the air flow directions of the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b and the outer downward airflow guiding surface 11 c does not reach a large value exceeding an airflow peeling or separation threshold of 15 degrees in a downstreamregion spanning from the maximum width position of the air flow dividingridge 11 a to the downstream rearward end 11 g in an air flow direction.Consequently, after the inner air stream a and the outer air stream βare formed by the air flow dividing ridge 11 a in an upstream regionspanning from an upstream frontward end 11 h to the maximum widthposition in an air flow direction, the air flows α and β do not separatefrom the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b and the outerdownward air flow guiding surface 11 c in the downstream region spanningfrom the maximum width position of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a tothe downstream rearward end 11 g.

The inner air stream α and the outer air stream β remain in a laminarstate when they are diverted under the guidance of the air flow guidingsurfaces 11 b and 11 c of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a. Moreover,after the inner air stream α and the outer air stream β are diverted bythe air flow guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c, the inner air stream α andthe outer air stream β can be directed inward of and underneath the sideview mirror 9 in a laminar state even after they separate from the airflow guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c. As a result, the inner air stream αand the outer air stream β are guided by the air flow guiding surfaces11 b and 11 c such that the inner air stream α and the outer air streamβ can pass inward of and underneath the side view mirror 9,respectively, in a laminar state.

Operational effects of the vehicle boundary layer air flow controlstructure according to the illustrated embodiment will now be explainedbased on FIGS. 11 to 15, which show flows of air obtained in a windtunnel experiment. In this illustrated embodiment, the exterior surfaceof the headlamp lens 11 forms a portion of a vehicle body exteriorcontoured surface in a region of the vehicle body where an air flowflows toward the side view mirror 9. As mentioned above, the exteriorsurface of the headlamp lens 11 is provided with the air flow dividingridge 11 a that extends in a flow direction of the air flow from afrontward end to the rearward end. In the illustrated embodiment, theupstream frontward end 11 h of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a ispositioned farther forward in a longitudinal direction of the vehiclethan the rotational center of the front wheel 12 as shown in FIGS. 11and 13 to 15. As a result, the following operational effect can beobtained. Namely, an air flow moving toward the side view mirror 9 alongthe vehicle body exterior contoured surface can be divided into theinner air stream α and the outer air stream β located in relative inwardand outward positions, respectively, in the vehicle widthwise directionas shown in FIGS. 11 to 15 such that the air flows α and β do not mixwith each other and become turbulent.

In this embodiment, the widthwise inwardly facing surface of the airflow dividing ridge 11 a constitutes the inward longitudinal air flowguiding surface 11 b configured to form an inwardly curved section thatcurves inward in the vehicle widthwise direction as it extends in adownstream direction of the inner air stream such that it ultimatelypoints inward of the side view mirror 9 in the vehicle widthwisedirection. As a result, as indicated FIGS. 11 to 15, the inner airstream a is reliably diverted by the inwardly curved section of theinward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b so as to pass inwardlyof the side view mirror 9 with respect to the vehicle widthwisedirection (i.e., toward the windshield 1). Moreover, after beingdiverted, the air flow α can be passed inwardly of the side view mirror9 while in a laminar state.

The diversion and control of the inner air stream a are accomplishedwith an even greater degree of reliability because the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b extends in the downstreamdirection of the air flow from a position frontward (in a longitudinaldirection of the vehicle) of the rotational center of the front wheel 12due to the upstream-side starting point (the upstream frontward end 11h) of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a. Thus, the inner air stream αheading toward the side view mirror 9 can be prevented from collidingwith the side view mirror 9 and wind noise that would be produced by acollision of the air flow α with the side view mirror 9 can be preventedor reduced. Additionally, a dynamic pressure produced by the air flow αcolliding against the side view mirror 9 can be reduced to such a degreethat it can substantially be ignored.

Also, with this illustrated embodiment, since the inward longitudinalair flow guiding surface 11 b passes the diverted air flow α inward ofthe side view mirror 9 in a laminar state, the diverted air flow α doesnot peel from the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b. Inthis way, the diverted air flow α does not undergo swirling or becometurbulent. Consequently, the diverted air flow can be reliably preventedfrom becoming turbulent and colliding against the side view mirror 9 andwind noise caused by such a collision ceases to be a problem. If thediverted air flow were to become turbulent, then the diverted air flowwould cause the traveling resistance (drag) of the vehicle to increase.However, with this illustrated embodiment, the diverted air flow α canbe passed inward of the side view mirror 9 in a laminar state and theproblem of the diverted air flow α causing the traveling resistance ofthe vehicle to increase does not occur.

After being diverted, the laminar air flow α passes inward of the sideview mirror 9 with respect to the vehicle widthwise direction. Thus,even though a side surface of the vehicle body leans inward in thevehicle widthwise direction as the vehicle body extends in an upwarddirection with respect to the vehicle body, the air flow α can flowalong the vehicle body side surface as shown in FIGS. 11 to 15.Consequently, the air flow α does not pass by the side view mirror 9 ata place where the air flow α would separate from the vehicle body sidesurface as in the case of an air flow passing above or to the outside ofthe side view mirror 9. Consequently, after the air flow α passes theside view mirror 9, the air flow α enjoys a lateral guiding effectprovided by the vehicle body side surface and does not readily becometurbulent even if it is subjected to an external force acting in adirection oriented crosswise to the air flow direction. Thus, theproblem of the diverted air flow becoming turbulent and causing thetraveling resistance of the vehicle to increase does not occur.

As shown in FIG. 7, a downstream (i.e., downstream in the flow directionof the air flow) portion of the guiding wall surface of the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b is configured to slope upwardand direct the air flow α to a level above a space S between the sideview mirror 9 and the vehicle body. Consequently, the air flow α passesinward of the side view mirror 9 in the vehicle widthwise direction anddoes not pass through the narrow space S. As a result, the air flow αcan be prevented from generating noise, which might occur if it passedthrough the narrow space S.

An air flow flowing toward the side view mirror 9 along the exteriorcontoured surface of the vehicle body is divided by the air flowdividing ridge 11 a into the inner air stream α and the outer air streamβ positioned inward and outward of each other in the vehicle widthwisedirection such that the air flows α and β do not intermix and/or becometurbulent. Additionally, the air flow guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c ofthe air flow dividing ridge 11 a are configured such that extensionplanes of the guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c extending in downstreamdirections of the inner and outer air streams α and β do not intersecteach other. As a result, the inner air stream α and the inner air streamβ do not intermix and/or become turbulent. Thus, the air flows can beprevented from colliding against the side view mirror 9 and the largewind noise that could result from such a collision can be avoided.

As mentioned above, the widthwise-outward surface of the air flowdividing ridge 11 a constitutes the outer downward air flow guidingsurface 11 c that is configured to slope downward in a verticaldirection of the vehicle as the air flow guiding surface 11 c extends ina downstream direction of the outer air stream β such that the air flowguiding surface 11 c ultimately points underneath the side view mirror9. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 15, the outer air stream β heading toward theside view mirror 9 diverted underneath the side view mirror 9 by thedownward slope of the outer downward air flow guide surface 11 c, andthe diverted air flow β is passed underneath the side view mirror 9 in alaminar state. The diversion and control of the outer air stream β areaccomplished with an even greater degree of reliability because theouter downward air flow guiding surface 11 c extends in the downstreamdirection of the air flow from a position frontward (in a longitudinaldirection of the vehicle) of a rotational center of the front wheel dueto the aforementioned upstream-side starting point of the air flowdividing ridge 11 a. Thus, the outer air stream β heading toward theside view mirror 9 can be prevented from colliding with the side viewmirror 9 and wind noise that would be produced by a collision of the airflow β with the side view mirror 9 can be prevented or reduced.Additionally, a dynamic pressure produced by the air flow β collidingagainst the side view mirror 9 can be reduced to such a degree that itcan substantially be ignored.

Also, with this illustrated embodiment, since the outer downward airflow guiding surface 11 c passes the diverted air flow β underneath theside view mirror 9 in a laminar state, the diverted air flow β does notpeel away from the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c, undergoswirling, and become turbulent. Consequently, the diverted air flow βcan be reliably prevented from becoming turbulent and colliding againstthe side view mirror 9 and wind noise caused by such a collision ceasesto be a problem.

If the diverted air flow were to become turbulent, then the diverted airflow would cause the traveling resistance (drag) of the vehicle toincrease. However, with this illustrated embodiment, as explained above,the diverted air flow β can be passed under the side view mirror 9 in alaminar state and the problem of the diverted air flow β causing thetraveling resistance of the vehicle to increase does not occur.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the outer downward air flowguiding surface 11 c is configured such that a rearmost end thereof inan air flow direction blends smoothly with the external shape of avehicle body panel located farther rearward in the air flow direction.Consequently, the shape of the vehicle body panel located rearward ofthe outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c can prevent the airflow β from becoming turbulent and the aforementioned operationaleffects of the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c can beensured.

After being diverted, the laminar air flow β passes underneath the sideview mirror 9. Thus, even though a side surface of the vehicle bodybulges outward in a widthwise direction as the vehicle body extends in adownward direction with respect to the vehicle body, the air flow β canflow along the vehicle body side surface as shown in FIGS. 11 to 15after passing by the side view mirror 9 due to the direction in whichthe air flow β passes. Consequently, the air flow β does not pass by theside view mirror 9 at a place where the air flow β would separate fromthe vehicle body side surface as in the case of an air flow passingabove or to the outside of the side view mirror 9. Consequently, afterthe air flow β passes the side view mirror 9, the air flow β enjoys alateral guiding effect provided by the vehicle body side surface anddoes not readily become turbulent even if it is subjected to an externalforce acting in a direction oriented crosswise to the air flowdirection. Thus, the problem of the diverted air flow β becomingturbulent and causing the traveling resistance of the vehicle toincrease does not occur.

As shown in FIG. 10, the air flow dividing ridge 11 a in thisillustrated embodiment is configured such that the maximum width Wmaxbetween the protruding portions 11 e and the 11 f is equal to or largerthan a vertical height of the side view mirror 9. In this way, the innerair stream a and the outer air stream β formed by the air flow dividingridge 11 a can be reliably separated from each other and reliablyprevented from intermixing and from becoming turbulent. Additionally,the aforementioned side view mirror boundary layer air flow control,i.e., the passing of the inner air stream α along a path lying inward ofthe side view mirror 9 in the vehicle widthwise direction and thepassing of the outer air stream β along a path lying under the side viewmirror 9 as explained previously, can be accomplished more markedly.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 10, the air flow dividing ridge 11 a inthis illustrated embodiment is configured such that a distance Ltailfrom a maximum width position to the downstream rearward end 11 g is atleast 1.9 times as long as the maximum width Wmax (Ltail/Wmax≧1.9).Thus, after an air flow is divided into an inner air stream α and anouter air stream β in an upstream region spanning from the upstreamfrontward end 11 h of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a to the maximumwidth position, the air flows α and β do not peel away from the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b and the outer downward airflow guiding surface 11 c as they pass through a downstream regionspanning from the maximum width position of the air flow dividing ridge11 a to the downstream rearward end 11 g.

As a result, the inner air stream α and the outer air stream β remain ina laminar state when they are diverted under the guidance of the airflow guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c of the air flow dividing ridge 11 a.Moreover, when the inner air stream α and the outer air stream β areguided by the air flow guiding surfaces 11 b and 11 c, the inner airstream α and the outer air stream β do not become turbulent, and thus,the inner air stream α and the outer air stream β do not collide againstthe side view mirror 9 as a result of turbulence. As a result, theproblem of the inner air stream α and the outer air stream β causingwind noise to occur and causing the traveling resistance to increase canbe avoided.

Regarding achieving any of the aforementioned operational effects, inthis illustrated embodiment, the operational effect can be achieved bydiverting an air flow heading toward the side view mirror 9 inward ofthe side view mirror 9 in the vehicle widthwise direction and underneaththe side view mirror 9 immediately before the air flow reaches the sideview mirror 9 and by guiding the air flow after the diversion such thatthe air flow passes inward of the side view mirror 9 and underneath theside view mirror 9 in a laminar state. Consequently, the diversionangles by which the air flow is diverted by the inward longitudinal airflow guiding surface 11 b and the outer downward air flow guidingsurface 11 c can be very small. Therefore, the dynamic pressure producedat the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b and the outerdownward air flow guiding surface 11 c is also very small.

Since the dynamic pressure at the inward longitudinal air flow guidingsurface 11 b and the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c isvery small and the dynamic pressure at the side view mirror 9 is verysmall, as explained above, a vehicle boundary layer air flow controlstructure according to this illustrated embodiment can achieve theoperational effect of preventing or reducing wind noise caused by theside view mirror 9 while incurring substantially no increase of thevehicle traveling resistance.

With the illustrated embodiment, the following operational effect can beobtained because the bottommost edge section of the outer downward airflow guiding surface 11 c is configured such that the bottommost edgesection forms the substantially vertical upright surface 11 d. If adownwardly sloping surface were made to encompass the bottommost edgesection of the outer downward air flow guiding surface 11 c, then theouter downward air flow guiding surface 11 c will adjoin smoothly withthe exterior surface contour of the fender 6 when viewed in alongitudinal direction of the vehicle. Consequently, a side surface airflow flowing along a side surface of the vehicle body toward the sideview mirror 9 would intermix with the aforementioned outer air streamand cause turbulence, and the turbulence will collide against the sideview mirror 9 and cause wind noise to occur. However, when thesubstantially vertical upright surface 11 d is provided in thebottommost edge section of the outer downward air flow guiding surface11 c as in the illustrated embodiment, the upright surface 11 d does notblend smoothly with the contour of the exterior surface of the fender 6when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Thus, asillustrated with the air flow β in FIGS. 6 to 10, the upright wall 6serves to prevent turbulence caused by the aforementioned intermixing.As a result, a large wind noise is prevented from occurring due to aturbulent air flow colliding with the side view mirror 9.

In the illustrated embodiment, the air flow dividing ridge 11 a, theinward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b, the outer downwardair flow guiding surface 11 c, and the upright surface 11 d serving toachieve the aforementioned operational effects are provided on anexterior surface of the headlamp lens 11. As a result, theaforementioned operational effects can be achieved by simply changingthe shape of the headlamp lens 11 and, thus, can be achieved lessexpensively than if the shape of an external panel of the vehicle bodyis changed, which requires changing an expensive press die.

A Porsche 911 has a headlight arch section that protrudes higher than anengine hood and extends in an air flow direction. A Porsche 914 has aturn signal arch section that protrudes higher than an engine hood andextends in an air flow direction. However, wind tunnel experiment datawas acquired for both of these vehicles and examined, and it wasdetermined that in both vehicles an air flow occurring during vehicletravel directly collides with a door mirror. That is, neither theheadlight arch section of the Porsche 911 nor the turn signal archsection of the Porsche 914 is configured to divert an air flow headingalong an exterior contoured surface of the vehicle body toward the doormirror such that the air flow does not collide with the door mirror.

Instead of providing the air flow dividing ridge 11 a, the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b, the outer downward air flowguiding surface 11 c, and the upright surface 11 d solely on an exteriorsurface of the headlamp lens 11, it is also acceptable for theseconstituent features to extend into an external panel of the vehiclebody located at a periphery of the headlamp lens 11 or for theconstituent features to be provided only on an external panel of thevehicle body instead of on an exterior surface of a headlamp lens. Inshort, the constituent features should be provided in a vehicle bodyregion of an exterior contoured surface of the vehicle body where theaforementioned operational effects can be achieved most reliably and tothe greatest degree.

The exterior contoured surfaces of the vehicle body surrounding theheadlamp lens 11 provided with the air flow dividing ridge 11 a, theinward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b, the outer downwardair flow guiding wall 11 c, and the upright surface 11 d are configuredsuch that they do not interfere with the aforementioned operationaleffects of the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b, theouter downward air flow guiding wall 11 c, and the upright surface 11 d.Furthermore, the surrounding exterior contoured surfaces of the vehiclebody should preferably enhance the aforementioned operational effects ofthe inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface 11 b, the outerdownward air flow guiding wall 11 c, and the upright surface 11 d.

In understanding the present disclosure, as used herein to describe theabove embodiment(s), the following directional terms “forward”,“rearward”, “upward”, “downward”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “above”,“below” “longitudinal”, “widthwise”, and “transverse” as well as anyother similar directional terms refer to those directions of a vehicleequipped with the vehicle boundary layer air flow control structure.Accordingly, these terms, as utilized to describe the vehicle boundarylayer air flow control structure should be interpreted relative to avehicle equipped with the vehicle boundary layer air flow controlstructure on a flat horizontal surface. The terms of degree such as“substantially”, “about” and “approximately” as used herein mean areasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the endresult is not significantly changed.

While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate thepresent invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art fromthis disclosure that various changes and modifications can be madeherein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims. Every feature which is unique from the prior art,alone or in combination with other features, also should be considered aseparate description of further inventions by the applicant, includingthe structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such feature(s).Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to thepresent invention are provided for illustration only, and not for thepurpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims andtheir equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle boundary layer air flow controlstructure comprising: a vehicle body including an exterior contouredsurface with an air flow deflector; and a side view mirror attached tothe vehicle body to provide a diagonally rearward direction to be viewedfrom a driver's seat; the air flow deflector having an inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface provided in a vehicle body regionof the exterior contoured surface of the vehicle body along which an airflow heading toward the side view mirror passes, the inward longitudinalair flow guiding surface being spaced apart from the side mirror, theinward longitudinal air flow guiding surface extending in an air flowdirection of the air flow with respect to the side view mirror to divertthe air flow along the exterior contoured surface of the vehicle bodyinward of the side view mirror with respect to a vehicle widthwisedirection.
 2. The vehicle boundary layer air flow control structure ofclaim 1, wherein the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surfaceincludes an inwardly curved section that is concave and curves inward inthe vehicle widthwise direction as the inward longitudinal air flowguiding surface extends in a downstream direction of the air flow suchthat the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface ultimately pointsinward of the side mirror in the vehicle widthwise direction.
 3. Thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure of claim 1, whereinthe inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface has a downstream endportion in the air flow direction that slopes upwardly to direct the airflow above a space that is directly between the side mirror and thevehicle body in a horizontal direction.
 4. The vehicle boundary layerair flow control structure of claim 1, wherein the inward longitudinalair flow guiding surface is configured and arranged with respect to theside view mirror to guide the air flow in a laminar state inward of theside mirror after the air flow has been diverted by the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface and departed from the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface.
 5. The vehicle boundary layer airflow control structure of claim 1, wherein the side view mirror is adoor mirror that is attached to a front side door of the vehicle body;and the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface has an upstream endarranged with respect to the air flow direction of the air flow at alocation farther forward in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle bodythan a rotational center of a front wheel.
 6. The vehicle boundary layerair flow control structure of claim 1, wherein the air flow deflectorfurther includes an air flow dividing ridge that is configured andarranged in the vehicle widthwise direction with respect to the sideview mirror to divide the air flow heading toward the side view mirroralong the exterior contoured surface of the vehicle body into an innerair stream and an outer air stream that are located on widthwise insideand outside of each other such that the inner and outer air streams areseparate and do not become turbulent.
 7. The vehicle boundary layer airflow control structure of claim 6, wherein the inward longitudinal airflow guiding surface is located inward with respect to the air flowdividing ridge in the vehicle widthwise direction with the inwardlongitudinal air flow guiding surface facing inward in the vehiclewidthwise direction.
 8. The vehicle boundary layer air flow controlstructure of claim 7, wherein the air flow deflector further includes adownward air flow guiding surface located outward in the vehiclewidthwise direction with respect to the air flow dividing ridge, withthe downward air flow guiding surface facing outward in the vehiclewidthwise direction and being configured and arranged to divert the airflow heading toward the side mirror underneath the side mirror.
 9. Thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure of claim 8, whereinthe inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface and the downward airflow guiding surface are configured and arranged with respect to eachother such that imaginary extension planes extending from rearward edgesof the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surface and the downward airflow guiding surface in a downstream direction of the air flow do notintersect each other.
 10. The vehicle boundary layer air flow controlstructure of claim 8 or 9, wherein the air flow deflector has a maximumwidth between a widthwise-inwardly protruding portion and awidthwise-outwardly protruding portion as viewed from above the vehiclebody with the maximum width being equal to or larger than a verticalheight of the side view mirror.
 11. The vehicle boundary layer air flowcontrol structure of claim 8, wherein the air flow dividing ridge isprovided such that an apex edge of the air flow dividing ridge ispositioned inward of the side view mirror in the vehicle widthwisedirection.
 12. The vehicle boundary layer air flow control structure ofclaim 10, wherein the air flow deflector is dimensioned such that adistance from a maximum width position where the maximum width betweenthe widthwise-inwardly protruding portion and the widthwise-outwardlyprotruding portion of the air flow dividing ridge exists as viewed fromabove the vehicle to a downstream rearward end of the air flow dividingridge is at least 1.9 times as long as the maximum width.
 13. Thevehicle boundary layer air flow control structure of claim 1, whereinthe air flow deflector is formed integrally with an exterior surface ofa headlamp lens.
 14. A vehicle boundary layer air flow control structurecomprising: a vehicle body including a fender having a tire wheel archsection and an exterior contoured surface with an air flow deflector;and a side view mirror attached to the vehicle body to provide adiagonally rearward direction to be viewed from a driver's seat; the airflow deflector having an inward longitudinal air flow guiding surfaceprovided in a vehicle body region of the exterior contoured surface ofthe vehicle body along which an air flow heading toward the side viewmirror passes, the inward longitudinal air flow guiding surfaceextending in an air flow direction of the air flow with respect to theside view mirror from a position frontward of a rear end portion of thetire wheel arch section to divert the air flow inward of the side viewmirror with respect to a vehicle widthwise direction.
 15. The vehicleboundary layer air flow control structure of claim 14, wherein theinward longitudinal air flow guiding surface has an upstream endarranged with respect to the air flow direction of the air flow at alocation farther forward in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle bodythan a rotational center of a front wheel, and the inward longitudinalair flow guiding surface extends in the flow direction of the air flowfrom the upstream end.